Rankings

Things to Know

The list of preferred applicants you submit to the Match is called a Rank Order List.

You must enter and certify a Rank Order List in the NMS Match System by the Rank Order List Deadline for each program offered by your residency in the Match.

If you have no acceptable applicants to rank for a program, you should certify a Rank Order List with no ranks.

If a program no longer has positions available, you must withdraw the program from the Match.

Key Dates

NMS Match System Opens For Rankings

February 7, 2018

Rank Order List Deadline

February 20, 2018 at 11:59 p.m. ET

Strategy

The matching algorithm is designed such that it cannot be gamed or manipulated.

The only strategy is to rank your choices in order of your true preferences, without considering how you expect to be ranked by any applicant.

Rank all applicants that would be acceptable. Submitting a longer list of applicants may reduce your chances of being left with unfilled positions.

Do not rank any applicant that you consider unacceptable (i.e., you would not want to be matched to that applicant, even if you may not fill a position). You can only be matched to applicants that appear on your Rank Order List.

Certify Your Rank Order List

You must certify a Rank Order List in the NMS Match System in order for it to be used in the Match. Certifying your Rank Order List lets NMS know it is ready to be used in the Match.

You can make changes to a list even after it is certified, until the Rank Order List deadline. If you make changes after a list is certified, the list will become uncertified and you will have to certify the list again before the Rank Order List deadline in order for it to be used in the Match.

Programs with Special Requirements

No Applicants to Rank

If a program has position(s) available that you would like to fill but you have no acceptable applicants to rank for the program, you should certify a Rank Order List with no ranks using the NMS Match System. This indicates to NMS that the program is still active and you want your position(s) to be shown as available to applicants in the Post-Match Process.

Reversions

It is possible within the matching algorithm to move positions that remain unfilled from one Rank Order List to a second Rank Order List, so that an attempt can be made to fill the available position(s) with applicant(s) on the second list. This is referred to as "reverting" unfilled positions.

Multiple Lists

Some programs may have special requirements that can only be satisfied by submitting multiple Rank Order List for a single program. This feature is useful if a program needs to recruit a mix of applicants with different characteristics.